Materials having predefined morphologies and methods of formation thereof

ABSTRACT

A material and an associated method of formation. A self-assembling block copolymer that includes a first block species and a second block species respectively characterized by a volume fraction of F 1  and F 2  with respect to the self-assembling block copolymer is provided. At least one crosslinkable polymer that is miscible with the second block species is provided. The self-assembling block copolymer and the at least one crosslinkable polymer are combined to form a mixture. The mixture having a volume fraction, F 3 , of the crosslinkable polymer, a volume fraction, F 1A , of the first block species, and a volume fraction, F 2A , of the second block species is formed. A material having a predefined morphology where the sum of F 2A  and F 3  were preselected is formed.

This application is a continuation application claiming priority to Ser.No. 11/950,453, filed Dec. 5, 2007, which is a continuation applicationclaiming priority to Ser. No. 11/077,804, filed Mar. 11, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of materials havingstructures therein that are nanoscopic, and the physical and chemicalproperties associated with the aforementioned materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Materials having nanoscopic structures are very attractive due to theirpotential application in the fields of low dielectric materials,catalysis, membrane separation, molecular engineering, photonics,bio-substrates, and various other fields. Several methods have beenproposed to synthesize materials having nanoscopic structures.Typically, the synthetic methodologies revolve around techniques usingorganic or inorganic polymeric molecules as templates, phase separationprocesses involving binary mixtures, and multi-step templating chemicalreactions among others.

Materials having nanoscopic structures and the methods of synthesisthereof have drawbacks that make each less than desirable. Typically,the methods are unable to provide materials in large quantities, verycomplex in execution, and economically prohibitive for scale-up. Thematerials synthesized often are mechanically weak, non-uniform instructure, and are of little use in their intended field of application.Therefore, a need exists for materials and methods of formation thereofthat overcome at least one of the aforementioned deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention is a method of forming amaterial comprising: providing a self-assembling block copolymer thatincludes a first block species and a second block species respectivelycharacterized by a volume fraction of F₁ and F₂ with respect to saidself-assembling block copolymer; providing at least one crosslinkablepolymer that is miscible with said second block species; combining saidself-assembling block copolymer with said at least one crosslinkablepolymer to form a mixture, said crosslinkable polymer having a volumefraction F₃ in said mixture, said first and said second block speciesrespectively having a volume fraction of F_(1A) and F_(2A) in saidmixture; and processing said mixture to form a material, wherein a sumof F_(2A)+F_(3A) and F₃ has been preselected prior to said combiningsuch that said formed material has a predefined morphology.

A second aspect of the present invention is a method of forming amaterial comprising: providing at least one self-assembling blockcopolymer; providing at least one crosslinkable polymer, wherein saidcrosslinkable polymer is miscible with at least one block species ofsaid self-assembling block copolymer; combining said at least oneself-assembling block copolymer with said at least one crosslinkablepolymer to form a mixture; applying said mixture onto a substrateforming a mixture coated substrate, comprising a layer of said mixtureon said substrate; processing said mixture coated substrate to form amaterial in direct mechanical contact with said substrate, wherein saidmaterial is derived from the layer of said mixture and comprises astructural layer having nanostructures and an interfacial layeressentially lacking nanostructures.

A third aspect of the present invention is a structure comprising: asubstrate; and a material adhered to said substrate, wherein saidmaterial comprises a structural layer having nanostructures and aninterfacial layer essentially lacking nanostructures, said interfaciallayer having a thickness in a range from about 0.5 nanometers (nm) toabout 50 nm.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming amaterial comprising: selecting a self-assembling block copolymer and apolymer miscible with at least one block species of said self-assemblingblock copolymer, wherein each said self-assembling block copolymer andsaid polymer have been selected to be crosslinkable; providing saidself-assembling block copolymer; providing at least one said polymer;combining said one block copolymer with said at least one polymer toform a mixture; applying said mixture onto a substrate forming a mixturecoated substrate; and processing said mixture coated substrate to form amaterial in direct mechanical contact with said substrate, wherein saidmaterial comprises a structural layer having nanostructures and aninterfacial layer essentially lacking nanostructures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a table of experiments and theoretical predictions forforming materials having a predefined morphology, in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)image of a material having a predefined morphology, in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of thematerial having a predefined morphology, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 depicts a second cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM) image of a material having a predefined morphology, in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a second surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image ofthe material having a predefined morphology, in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 depicts a third Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of a materialhaving a predefined morphology, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 depicts a fourth Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of amaterial having a predefined morphology, in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 depicts a plot of Young's modulus vs refractive index, inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown anddescribed in detail, it should be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of theappended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way belimited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof,the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc. . . . , andare disclosed simply as an example of an embodiment. The features andadvantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in theaccompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeelements throughout the drawings. Although the drawings are intended toillustrate the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily drawnto scale.

The following are definitions:

A monomer as used herein is a molecule that can undergo polymerizationthereby contributing constitutional units to the essential structure ofa macromolecule, an oligomer, a block, a chain, and the like.

A polymer as used herein is a macromolecule of comprising multiplerepeating smaller units or molecules (monomers) derived, actually orconceptually, from smaller units or molecules. The polymer may benatural or synthetic.

A copolymer as used herein is a polymer derived from more than onespecies of monomer.

A block copolymer as used herein is a copolymer that comprises more thanone species of monomer, wherein the monomers are present in blocks. Eachblock of the monomer comprises repeating sequences of the monomer. Aformula representative (1) of a block copolymer is shown below:

-(M₁)_(a)-(M₂)_(b)-(M₃)_(c)-(M₄)_(d)-  (1)

wherein M₁, M₂, M₃, and M₄ represent monomer units and the subscripts“a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, represent the number of repeating units of M₁, M₂,M₃, and M₄ respectively. The above referenced representative formula isnot meant to limit the structure of the block copolymer used in anembodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned monomers of thecopolymer may be used individually and in combinations thereof inaccordance with the method of the present invention.

A crosslinkable polymer as used herein is a polymer having a smallregion in the polymer from which at least 1-4 polymer chains mayemanate, and may be formed by reactions involving sites or groups onexisting polymers or may be formed by interactions between existingpolymers. The small region may be an atom, a group of atoms, or a numberof branch points connected by bonds, groups of atoms, or polymer chains.Typically, a crosslink is a covalent structure but the term is also usedto describe sites of weaker chemical interactions, portions ofcrystallites, and even physical interactions such as phase separationand entanglements.

Morphology as used herein is to describe a form, a shape, a structure,and the like of a substance, a material, and the like as well as otherphysical and chemical properties (e.g. Young's Modulus, dielectricconstant, etc. as described infra),

Amphiphilic as used herein is used to describe a molecule and amacromolecule that is or has in part polar and non-polar portions thatconstitute the molecule and the macromolecule.

Thermosetting polymer as used herein is a polymer or a prepolymer in asoft solid or viscous state that changes irreversibly into an infusible,insoluble polymer network by curing. Typically, curing can be by theaction of heat or radiation causing the production of heat, or both.Further, curing can be by the action of heat and/or radiation thatproduces heat resulting in the generation of a catalyst which serves toinitiate crosslinking in the region of exposure.

Photosetting polymer as used herein is a polymer or a prepolymer in asoft solid or viscous state that changes irreversibly into an infusible,insoluble polymer network by curing. Typically, curing can be by theaction of exposing the polymer or prepolymer to light. Further, curingcan be by the action of exposure to radiation resulting in thegeneration of a catalyst which serves to initiate crosslinking in theregion of exposure.

Nanostructure as used herein is a structure on the order of 1 nanometer(nm) to 500 nm in dimension. Examples of the structure may include butare not limited to nanorods, nanosheets, nanospheres, nanocylinders,nanocubes, nanoparticles, nanograins, nanofilaments, nanolamellae, andthe like having solid composition and a minimal structural diameter in arange from about 1 nm to about 500 nm. Further examples of the structuremay include but are not limited to spherical nanopores, cylindricalnanopores, nanotrenches, nanotunnels, nanovoids, and the like havingtheir void or shape defined by the material or matrix that surroundsthem and having a diameter in a range from about 1 nm to about 500 nm.

A substrate as used herein is a physical body (e.g. a layer or alaminate, a material, and the like) onto which a polymer or polymericmaterial may be deposited on or adhered to. A substrate may includematerials of the Group I, II, III, and IV elements; plastic material;silicon dioxide, glass, fused silica, mica, ceramic, or metals depositedon the aforementioned substrates, and the like.

A method of forming a material comprises the steps of providing aself-assembling block copolymer that includes a first block species anda second block species respectively characterized by a volume fractionof F₁ and F₂ with respect to said self-assembling block copolymer;providing at least one crosslinkable polymer that is miscible with saidsecond block species; combining said self-assembling block copolymerwith said at least one crosslinkable polymer to form a mixture, saidcrosslinkable polymer having a volume fraction F₃ in said mixture, saidfirst and said second block species respectively having a volumefraction of F_(1A) and F_(2A) in said mixture; and processing saidmixture to form a material, wherein a sum of F_(2A) and F₃ has beenpreselected prior to said combining such that said formed material has apredefined morphology in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

The self-assembling block copolymer provided in this example ispolystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide), herein referred to as PS-b-PEO.The PS-b-PEO is comprised of two blocks of monomer species, polystyrene(PS) and polyethylene oxide (PEO). The composition of the PS-b-PEO canvary in the amount of PS block and PEO block present in the PS-b-PEOcopolymer. The fractions of the monomer blocks present can berepresented in percent millimoles (% mmol.), percent by weight (wt. %),volume fraction, and the like.

Typically the volume fraction of the PS block and the PEO block presentin the PS-b-PEO is in a range from about 0.9 PS:0.1 PEO to about 0.1PS:0.9 PEO. The crosslinkable polymer provided in this example ispoly(methylsilsesquioxane), herein to referred as PMSSQ. The PMSSQprovided is miscible with the PEO block of PS-b-PEO in this example. Thevolume fraction of the PS block species and the PEO block species areherein to referred as F₁ and F₂ with respect to the PS-b-PEOself-assembling block copolymer.

The use of PS-b-PEO as the block copolymer is not meant to limit thetype of the block copolymer that may be used in an embodiment of thepresent invention. Other block copolymers that may be used include butare not limited to amphiphilic organic block copolymers, amphiphilicinorganic block copolymers, organic di-block copolymers, organicmutli-block copolymers, inorganic di-block copolymers, inorganicmutli-block copolymers, linear block copolymers, star block copolymers,dendriditic block copolymers, hyperbranched block copolymers, graftblock copolymers, and the like.

Specific examples of block copolymers that may be used in an embodimentof the present include but are not limited to PS-polyvinyl pyridine,PS-polybutadiene, PS-hydrogenated polybutadiene, PS-polyisoprene,PS-hydrogenated polyisoprene, PS-poly(methyl methacrylate),PS-polyalkenyl aromatics, polyisoprene-PEO, PS-poly(ethylene propylene),PEO-polycaprolactones, polybutadiene-PEO, polyisoprene-PEO,PS-poly(t-butyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(t-butylmethacrylate), PEO-poly(propylene oxide), PS-poly(t-butylacrylate), andPS-poly(tetrahydrofuran). The aforementioned block copolymers may beused individually and in combinations thereof in accordance with themethod of the present invention.

The use of PMSSQ as the crosslinkable polymer also is not meant to limitthe type of the crosslinkable polymer that may be used in an embodimentof the present invention. Other crosslinkable polymers that may be usedinclude but are not limited to silsesquioxanes having the formulastructure (RSiO_(1.5))_(n) where R=hydrido, alkyl, aryl, or alkyl-aryl,n is in a range from about 10-500, and the molecular weight is in arange from about 100-30,000; organic crosslinkable polymers; inorganiccrosslinkable polymers; thermosetting crosslinkable polymers such asepoxy resins, phenolic resins, amino resins, bis-maleimide resins,dicyanate resins, allyl resins, unsaturated polyester resins,polyamides, and the like; photosetting crosslinkable polymers;polysilanes; polygermanes; carbosilanes; borazoles; carboranes;amorphous silicon carbides; carbon doped oxides; and the like. Theaforementioned crosslinkable polymers may be used individually and incombinations thereof in accordance with the method of the presentinvention.

The PS-b-PEO self-assembling block copolymer is combined with the PMSSQcrosslinkable polymer to form a mixture. The PS-b-PEO is dissolved intoluene and the PMSSQ is dissolved in 1-propoxy-2-propanol. An aliquotof the first solution, PS-b-PEO in toluene, and an aliquot of the secondsolution, PMSSQ in 1-propoxy-2-propanol, then are combined to give theaforementioned mixture containing both the PS-b-PEO and PMSSQ.

Combining one self-assembling block copolymer with the crosslinkablepolymer is not meant to limit the number of self-assembling blockcopolymers that may be combined in an embodiment of the presentinvention. Multiple self-assembling block copolymers may be combinedwith the crosslinkable individually and in combinations thereof inaccordance with the method of the present invention.

The volume fraction of the crosslinkable polymer in the mixture,specifically, PMSSQ, is herein to referred as F₃. The volume fraction ofthe PS block species and the PEO block species in the mixture is hereinto referred as F_(1A) and F_(2A) respectively. Preselecting the sum ofthe volume fraction F₃ and the volume fraction F_(2A) prior to combiningthe PS-b-PEO with the PMSSQ to form the mixture allows one to determinethe morphology of the material after processing the of the mixture asexplained infra. Examples of the material morphology include but are notlimited nanostructures such as spherical nanopores, cylindricalnanopores, nanolamellae, nanospheres, nanocylinders, and the like.

The mixture then is processed to form a material having a predefinedmorphology. A process that can be used is spin casting. A thin film ofthe mixture was deposited onto a substrate and spin cast. A typical spinspeed was 3,000 rotations per minute (rpm) but may be in a range fromabout 50 rpm to about 5,000 rpm. The mixture was spin cast and annealedat a temperature of about 100° C. for about 10 hrs. Alternatively, themixture may be processed by spin casting the solution and then annealingthe adhering film under organic solvent vapor at room temperature (about25° C.) from about 10 hrs to about 15 hrs.

After annealing, the mixture was further heated. The temperature wasincrementally increased from about 100° C. to about 450° C. at a rate ofabout 5° C./min. under an inert gas atmosphere, typically nitrogen orargon. During the incremental heating, the PMSSQ crosslinks at atemperature in a range from about 150° C. to about 200° C. and thePS-b-PEO thermally decomposes at a temperature in range from about 350°C. to about 450° C. in an inert atmosphere. The result of the spincasting process is the material having a predefined morphology.

The spin casting process used is not meant to limit the type ofprocesses that may be used in an embodiment of the present invention.Other processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), photochemicalirradiation, thermolysis, spraying, dip coating, doctor blading, and thelike may be used individually and in combinations thereof in accordancewith the method of the present invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a table 10 of experiments and theoretical predictions forforming materials having a predefined morphology, in accordance with thepresent invention. Column 1 is a listing of numerical entries for eachexperiment or theoretical prediction. Theoretical predictions areindicated with an entry having a superscript “th”. Column 2 is a listingof the volume fraction F₁ of the PS block species of the PS-b-PEOself-assembling block copolymer. Column 3 is a listing of the volumefraction F₂ of the PEO block species of the PS-b-PEO self-assemblingblock copolymer. Column 4 is a listing of the volume fraction F_(1A) ofthe PS block species in the mixture comprising PS-b-PEO and PMSSQ.Column 5 is a listing of the volume fraction F_(2A) of the PEO blockspecies in the mixture comprising PS-b-PEO and PMSSQ. Column 6 is alisting of the volume fraction F₃ of the PMSSQ in the mixture comprisingPS-b-PEO and PMSSQ. Column 7 is a listing of the sum of the volumefraction F_(2A) and the volume fraction F₃. Column 8 is a listing of thematerial morphology for each experiment or theoretical prediction.

Referring to FIG. 1, entries 19-25 and entries 30-34 are of experimentsconducted that resulted in the formation of a material having apredefined morphology in accordance with the method of the presentinvention. The predefined morphologies experimentally demonstratedinclude spherical nanopores, cylindrical nanopores, and nanolamellae. Amaterial having a morphology of spherical nanopores, column 8, mayformed by preselecting a sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃, column7, that is within a range from about 0.82 to about 0.94, entries 30 and34. Further, a material having a morphology of cylindrical nanopores mayformed by preselecting a sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃ that iswithin a range from about 0.7 to about 0.8, entries 21-23. Lastly, amaterial having a morphology of nanolamellae may formed by preselectinga sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃ that is within a range fromabout 0.6 to about 0.65, entries 19 and 20.

Entries 19-25 and entries 30-34 experimentally demonstrate the abilityto control a predefined morphology of a formed material by preselectinga sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃, column 7, of a mixturePS-b-PEO and PMSSQ. The experimental data demonstrates the sum of avolume fraction F_(2A) and F₃, column 7, may also be used as atheoretical predictor of a predefined morphology of a material formed inaccordance with the methodology previously described.

Entries 1-18, 26-29, and 35-44 are theoretical predictions of apredefined morphology, column 8, of a material that would be expectedbased upon a sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃, column 7. Amaterial having a predefined morphology of spherical nanopores, entries7, 8, 16, 17, and 35-44, would be expected if the sum of a volumefraction F_(2A) and F₃ was in range from about 0.82 to about 0.94.Similarly, predefined morphologies of cylindrical nanopores, entries 6,14, 15, and 27-29, and nanolamellae, entries 2-6, 8-13, and 18, would beexpected if the sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃ was in range fromabout 0.7 to about 0.8 and in a range from about 0.6 to about 0.65respectively,

Processing a mixture, wherein a sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and F₃were preselected, results in the formation of a material having apredefined morphology and also results in the material comprising astructural layer having nanostructures and an interfacial layeressentially lacking nanostructures.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)image of a material 20 having a predefined morphology, in accordancewith the present invention. The material 20 comprises a structural layer22 and an interfacial layer 23 in direct mechanical contact with thesubstrate 21. The interfacial layer 23 and the substrate 21 are incontact at an interface 24. The structural layer 22 comprisesnanostructures 25 surrounded by a crosslinkable polymer 26. Theinterfacial layer 23 essentially lacks the nanostructures 25 andessentially comprises the crosslinkable polymer 26. The nanostructures25 in the TEM image are spherical nanopores and will hereto be referredas such. An arrow 27 is normal, i.e. perpendicular, to the interface 24.

FIG. 3 depicts a surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of thematerial 20 having a predefined morphology being that of sphericalnanopores 25, in accordance with the present invention. Referring toFIGS. 1-3, the material 20, was formed by processing a mixture having apreselected sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and a volume fraction F₃being 0.91, as listed in entry 33 of the column 7. The interfacial layer23 has a first thickness, wherein the first thickness is measured in adirection normal to the interface 24 as indicated by the arrow 27, in arange from about 2 nanometers (nm) to about 30 nm. The TEM image showsthe interfacial layer 23 essentially lacks spherical nanopores 25 or anyother nanostructures and is comprised essentially of the crosslinkablepolymer 26, PMSSQ.

The structural layer 22 has a second thickness, wherein the secondthickness is measured in a direction normal to the interface 24 asindicated by the arrow 27, in a range from about 50 nm to about 300 nm.The TEM image shows that the structural layer 22 having sphericalnanopores 25 which are surrounded by the crosslinkable polymer 26,PMSSQ. The image further shows the diameter of the spherical nanopores25 to be in a range from about 5 nm to about 100 nm.

The first thickness of the interfacial layer 23 is generally less thanthe second thickness of the structural layer 22 wherein said first andsecond thickness are each measured in a direction normal to theinterface 24 as indicated by the arrow 27. A ratio of the firstthickness to the second thickness is in a range from about 0.007 toabout 0.6.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)image of a material 35 having a predefined morphology being that ofcylindrical nanopores 40, in accordance with the present invention. Thematerial 35 comprises a structural layer 37 and an interfacial layer 38in direct mechanical contact with a substrate 36. The interfacial layer38 and the substrate 36 are in contact at an interface 39. Thestructural layer 37 comprises nanostructures 40 surrounded by acrosslinkable polymer 41. The interfacial layer 38 essentially lacks thenanostructures 40 and essentially comprises the crosslinkable polymer41. The nanostructures 40 in the TEM image are cylindrical nanopores andhereto will be referred as such. An arrow 42 is normal, i.e.perpendicular, to the interface 39.

FIG. 5 depicts a surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of thematerial 35 having a predefined morphology being that of cylindricalnanopores 40, in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the material 35 was formed by processinga mixture having a preselected sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and avolume fraction F₃ being 0.7, as listed in entry 21 of the column 7 ofFIG. 1. The interfacial layer 38 and the structural layer 37 have afirst and a second thickness in a range from about 2 nm to about 30 nmand a range from about 50 nm to about 300 nm, respectively. The firstand second thickness each are measured in a direction normal to theinterface 39 as indicated by the arrow 42.

The TEM image shows that the interfacial layer 38 essentially lackscylindrical nanopores 40 or any other nanostructures and is comprisedessentially of the crosslinkable polymer 41, PMSSQ. The TEM image alsoshows that the structural layer 37 has cylindrical nanopores 40 whichare surrounded by the crosslinkable polymer 41, PMSSQ. The image furthershows the diameter of the cylindrical nanopores 40 to be in a range fromabout 5 nm to about 100 nm.

The first thickness of the interfacial layer 38 is generally less thanthe second thickness of the structural layer 37 wherein said first andsecond thickness are each measured in a direction normal to thesubstrate 36 as indicated by the arrow 42. A ratio of the firstthickness to the second thickness is in a range from about 0.007 toabout 0.6.

FIG. 6 depicts a surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image 60 of thematerial 61 having a predefined morphology being that of nanospheres 62,in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7,the material 61 was formed by processing a mixture having a preselectedsum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and a volume fraction F₃ being 0.19, aslisted in entry 1 of the column 7 of FIG. 1. The nanospheres 62 areindicated in the AFM image 60.

FIG. 7 depicts a surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image 70 of thematerial 71 having a predefined morphology being that of nanolamellae72, in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and7, the material 71 was formed by processing a mixture having apreselected sum of a volume fraction F_(2A) and a volume fraction F₃being 0.6, as listed in entry 19 of the column 7 of FIG. 1. Thenanolamellae 72 are indicated in the AFM image 70.

FIG. 8 depicts a plot 50 of Young's modulus vs refractive index, inaccordance with the present invention. The x-axis 51 is refractive indexand the y-axis 52 is Young's Modulus in units of GigaPascal. TheRefractive index hereto will be referred as the porosity of a materialas the refractive index is related to the amount of air incorporated,i.e. porosity, in the material. Data points 53 are for a materiallacking nanostructures and data points 54 are for a material havingnanostructures being spherical nanopores in this example.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, a material formed by the methodologypreviously described not only has a predefined morphology but improvedphysical properties such as dielectric constant and Young's modulus. Thedielectric constant of the material is in a range from about 1 to about3 as determined by analytical techniques typically known to thoseskilled in the art. The Young's modulus of the materials is in a rangefrom about 1 GigaPascal (GPa) to about 20 Gpa as determined byanalytical techniques typically known to one skilled in the art.

From the plot 50, it can been seen that the material 20 having sphericalnanopores 25 has higher porosity values, points 54, than a materiallacking spherical nanopores 25 or any nanostructure, points 53. With theincrease in porosity of the material 20 comes a subsequent increase inits Young's Modulus value in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. The porosity of the material 20 is increased in thestructural layer 22 having the spherical nanopores 25 but the porosityof the interfacial layer 23 is actually reduced. The TEM image shows theinterfacial layer 23 essentially lacking any spherical nanopores 25 orany nanostructures.

The methods described to this point for the formation of materialshaving a predefined morphology can also be viewed as methods forreducing the porosity, i.e. preventing excess porosity, of theinterfacial layer 23. The reduced porosity of the interfacial layer 23of the material 20 is not meant to limit this property to materialshaving only the morphology of spherical nanopores. The materialspreviously described with varying predefined morphologies have theproperty of an interfacial layer with a reduced porosity.

The methods described to this point for the formation of materialshaving a predefined morphology include providing a self-assembling blockcopolymer and a crosslinkable polymer selectively miscible with a blockspecies of the self-assembling block copolymer. Another embodiment ofthe present invention includes a providing self-assembling block polymerand a polymer miscible with at least one block species of theself-assembling copolymer, wherein either the self-assembling blockcopolymer and/or the polymer are selected to be crosslinkable with theother. Further combining and processing as previously described resultsin the formation of materials having the predefined morphologies aspreviously discussed, in accordance with the present invention.

The materials and methods described are not limited to use with only asubstrate. The materials and methods of the present invention may beused in combination with nano-reactors, growth chambers, templates andtemplating devices, imaging masks, low-index photonics, bio-substrates,and separation media.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of this invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations arepossible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to aperson skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scopeof this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

1. A method of forming a material, said method comprising: combining aself-assembling block copolymer with at least one crosslinkable polymerto form a mixture, said self-assembling block copolymer including afirst block species and a second block species respectivelycharacterized by a volume fraction of F₁ and F₂ with respect to at leastone self-assembling block copolymer, said at least one crosslinkablepolymer being miscible with said second block species and having avolume fraction F₃ in said mixture, said first and said second blockspecies respectively having a volume fraction of F_(1A) and F_(2A) insaid mixture; processing said mixture to form a material; and prior tosaid combining: providing a data collection comprising data in whicheach morphology of a plurality of morphologies and a range of(F_(2A)+F₃) of a plurality of ranges of (F_(2A)+F₃) are associated witheach other, wherein (F_(2A)+F₃) denotes a sum of F_(2A) and F₃, whereinsaid data has a characteristic that a performance of said combining andsaid processing using a value of (F_(2A)+F₃) in any range of (F_(2A)+F₃)of the plurality of ranges of (F_(2A)+F₃) in the data collection forms amaterial having the morphology associated with said any range of(F_(2A)+F₃) in the data collection; predefining a morphology selectedfrom the plurality of morphologies; selecting from the data collectionthe range of (F_(2A)+F₃) associated with the predefined morphology; andpreselecting (F_(2A)+F₃) from the selected range of (F_(2A)+F₃).
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the plurality of morphologies in the datacollection comprises a morphology of spherical nanopores, a morphologyof cylindrical nanopores, and a morphology of nanolamellae.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the range of (F_(2A)+F₃) associated with themorphology of spherical nanopores is from about 0.82 to about 0.94,wherein the range of (F_(2A)+F₃) associated with the morphology ofcylindrical nanopores is from about 0.70 to about 0.80, and wherein therange of (F_(2A)+F₃) associated with the morphology of nanolamellae isfrom about 0.60 to about 0.65.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein saidpredefining the morphology consists of selecting the morphology ofspherical nanopores.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein said predefiningthe morphology consists of selecting the morphology of cylindricalnanopores.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein said predefining themorphology consists of selecting the morphology of nanolamellae.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said self-assembling block copolymer includespolymers selected from the group consisting of amphiphilic organic blockcopolymers, amphiphilic inorganic block copolymers, organic di-blockcopolymers, organic mutli-block copolymers, inorganic di-blockcopolymers, inorganic mutli-block copolymers, linear block copolymers,star block copolymers, dendritic block copolymers, hyperbranched blockcopolymers, graft block copolymers, and combinations thereof.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said self-assembling block copolymer includespolymers selected from the group consisting of polystyrene(PS)-polyvinyl pyridine, PS-polybutadiene, PS-polyisoprene,PS-hydrogenated polyisoprene, PS-poly(methyl methacrylate),PS-poly(alkenyl aromatics), PS-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO),PS-poly(ethylene propylene), PEO-polycaprolactones, polybutadiene-PEO,polyisoprene-PEO, PS-poly(t-butyl methacrylate), poly(methylmethacrylate)-poly(t-butyl methacrylate), PEO-poly(propylene oxide),PS-poly(t-butylacrylate), and PS-poly(tetrahydrofuran), and combinationsthereof.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least onecrosslinkable polymer includes polymers selected from the groupconsisting of organic crosslinkable polymers, inorganic crosslinkablepolymers, thermosetting crosslinkable polymers, photosettingcrosslinkable polymers, radiation crosslinkable polymers, andcombinations thereof.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said at leastone crosslinkable polymer includes polymers selected from the groupconsisting of polysilanes, polygermanes, carbosilanes, borazoles,carboranes, amorphous silicon carbide, carbon doped oxides, andsilsesquioxanes (RSiO_(1.5))_(n), wherein R is selected from the groupconsisting of a hydrido group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, and analkyl-aryl group, n is in a range from about 10 to about 500, and themolecular weight is in a range from about 600 to about 30,000.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said predefined morphology includes nanoporesselected from the group consisting of spherical nanopores, cylindricalnanopores, and combinations thereof, and wherein the nanopores have adiameter in a range from 5 nanometers (nm) to about 100 nm.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said processing comprises: applying themixture onto a substrate forming a mixture coated substrate comprising alayer of the mixture on the substrate; and processing the mixture coatedsubstrate to form said material in direct mechanical contact with thesubstrate, wherein the material is derived from the layer of the mixtureand comprises a structural layer and an interfacial layer, wherein thestructural layer comprises nanostructures having the predefinedmorphology and being surrounded by the at least one crosslinkablepolymer, wherein the interfacial layer essentially lacks nanostructuresand comprises essentially the at least one crosslinkable polymer. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein the interfacial layer has a firstthickness less than a second thickness of the structural layer, whereinthe first thickness and the second thickness are each measured in adirection normal to an interface between the interfacial layer and thesubstrate, wherein a ratio of the first thickness to the secondthickness is in a range from about 0.007 to about 0.6, wherein the firstthickness is in a range from about 2 nm to about 30 nm, wherein thesecond thickness is in a range from about 50 nm to about 300 nm.
 14. Astructure, comprising: a substrate; and a material adhered to saidsubstrate, wherein said material comprises a structural layer and aninterfacial layer, wherein the structural layer comprises nanostructureshaving the predefined morphology and being surrounded by the at leastone crosslinkable polymer, wherein the interfacial layer essentiallylacks nanostructures and comprises essentially the at least onecrosslinkable polymer.
 15. The structure of claim 14, wherein theinterfacial layer has a first thickness less than a second thickness ofthe structural layer, wherein the first thickness and the secondthickness are each measured in a direction normal to an interfacebetween the interfacial layer and the substrate, wherein a ratio of thefirst thickness to the second thickness is in a range from about 0.007to about 0.6, wherein the first thickness is in a range from about 2 nmto about 30 nm, wherein the second thickness is in a range from about 50nm to about 300 nm.
 16. The structure of claim 14, wherein thenanostructures include spherical nanopores.
 17. The structure of claim14, wherein the nanostructures include cylindrical nanopores.
 18. Thestructure of claim 14, wherein the nanostructures include sphericalnanolamellae.
 19. The structure of claim 14, wherein the nanostructuresinclude nanospheres.
 20. The structure of claim 14, wherein saidsubstrate comprises at least one material selected from a groupconsisting of Group I elements, Group II elements, Group III elements,Group IV elements, plastic, silicon dioxide, glass, fused silica, mica,ceramic, metal deposited on the aforementioned materials, andcombinations thereof.